Ctjiitius colby



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CURTIUS COLBY, OF WILSON, NEW YORK.

EARTH-EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,669, dated June 80, 1857.

To aZZAwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CUR'riUs CoLBY, of Wilson, county of Niagara, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement u on Machines for Excavating Earth; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal elevation, and Fig. 3, a birdseye view.

B B B are three wheels which support and carry the machine.

C is a cog wheel firmly attached to the inner end of the hub of the wheel B and revolving with it. D is also a cog wheel of the same diameter and fitted to mesh into the cog wheel C.

A is an iron shaft running horizontally across the to of the frame, to one end of which is irmy attached the cog-wheel D, the other end being supported by a standard above the frame and playing loosely through the same. The opposite end of the shaft is supported upon the frame by being passed through one end of the lever F resting upon a fulcrum; the lever by being de ressed or elevated places the two cog-whee s in and out of gear.

E is a lever, being combined with the lever F at the point V, having attached at one end a curved bar furnished on the under side with a catch or dog W and assing over the wheel D, said bar is attac ed to the frame by a pin at the end upon which it may turn.

H, H, are rollers or drums firmly attached to the horizontal bar A and revolving with it.

Y, Y, are chains attached each at one end to the drums H,.H, thence descending perpendicularly and attached at the other end to the metallic arms at S, S.

S S are the arms or immediate support of the excavator G. Said arms are supported u on the frame by means of a rod P passing t rough the rear posts and through the upper rear part of the arms. The hind board of the excavator is firmly attached to the arms S S and detached from the sides and bottom. The sides and bottom are firmly attached to each other and suspended to the arms by gudgeons or pivots at R R.

O is a lever connecting with a spring catch which holds the bottom and sides of the excavator in connection with its hind board.

I is a strap attached to the forward and rear parts of the side-board and passing over a roller L at the upper part of the frame.

N is a standard rising above the frame work Q, through a slot in which the levers E and F are allowed to play, also containing notches to retain the lever F in its proper position during the operation of the machine.

T is a metal spring furnished with a notch for the purpose of holding the lever E in its proper position during the o eration of the machine as will be shown be ow.

M is a seat for the operator of the machine.

K in Fig. 2, is a tiller for varying the direction of the machine.

In Fig. l the machine is represented ready to load. The long end of the lever F has been placed in the lower notch in the standard, thus throwing the Wheels C and D out of gear. The desired height of the nose of the dip er is regulated by the dog W on the wheeFD being operated upon by the lever E. After the excavator is filled with earth the lever F is raised into the upper notch in the standard which throws the Wheels C and D into gear. Owing to the combination of the levers E and F at V, both are raised simultaneously. Thus by the raising the lever F and placing the wheels in gear the dog W in connection with the lever E is raised allowing the wheel D to revolve. The excavator is now in a position for elevating which is accomplished by the onward motion of the team i, i, the wheels C and D being in connection the chains Y Y are wound u around the drum H H, thus elevating t e excavator. In consequence of the peculiar construction of the arms (or immediate support) of the excavator by which they are suspended from the frame at a point above the level of the top of the side boards the liind end is elevated more or less simultaneously with the forward end. After being sufliciently elevated the levers E and F are caused to assume their former position by which means the wheels C and D are disconnected and the excavator sustained at its elevation by the dog W setting between the cogs of wheel D. The load can now be taken to any desired place of deposit; The earth is liberated by pressing the foot upon the lever O which acting upon the spring catch severs the connection between the bottom and sides and the hind boards and the earth is deposited.

Fig` 2 represents the machine as having deposited its load or dumped The excavator is caused to reassume its position for loading by pressing upon the spring T. The lever E is depressed undoing the wheel D. The excavator Ythus being free is brought down by its own gravity. The strap I being attached to the front and rear ends of the side board and assing over the roller at L has the effect whi e the excavator is descending to bring the rear end of the bottom board up to the hind board when it is caught bythe spring catch O being then in the positlon as represented in Fig. I.'

The operator may vary the direction of the machine to the right or left to suit circumstances by the action of the tiller K.

Fig. 3 is given to show the construction more plainly.

I do not claim the mounting and using an excavator upon wheels nor suspending its sides upon pivots or gudgeons neither for the escape of the earth by letting the bottom'free, as I am aware of there being machines used with these principles; neither do I claim the method of elevating the excavator by the cog wheels C and D acting u on the drums II I-I or the chains attached t ereto, nor the method of varying the direction of the machine by the tiller K. But

I do claiml. The use of the levers E and F with their combination for the purposes as set forth.

2. The suspending the arms S S tothe frame at a point P above the level of the top of the excavator, thus securing the elevation of the hind as well as fore part at the same time.

3. Causing the return of-the bottom of the excavator to its proper position for reloading by means of the strap I and roller L as described.

CURTIUS COLBY.

Witnesses:

L. M. WILSON, ALBEN GIFFORD. 

